Envelope



June 23, 1931. w, w c 1,811,341

ENVELOPE Filed Aug. 26. 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 a, 7:; v {a F 7 .7 V AXE/9.24 102. INVENTOR. 75 7 9 ATTORNEKI June 23,1931. w. A. WELCH I 1,811,341

ENVELOPE Filed Aug. 26. 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 A TTORNE o 30 body of the blank.

Patented June 23, 1931 UETE TES PATENT FFIQF.

ENVELOPE I i Application. filed August 26, 1929. Serial No. 388,496.

The object of this invention is to provide an envelope with which will be embodied a return envelope and which may be easily separated from the primary envelope, it being possible to detach the return envelope when the primary envelope is opened. The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings and consists in certain novel features which will be hereinafter first fully described and then particularly defined in the appended claim.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a plan view of a blank which is to be folded to form the improved en- 'velope, and

Figs. 2, 3, 4 and 5 are similar views showing the successive steps in folding the blank to produce the envelope.

The blank includes a substantially oblong body having a flap 1 at one end and immediately adjacent said end having flaps 2 and 3 on its side edges, the flap or tongue 2 being longer than the flap 3, so that when folded the longer flap will overlie the shorter flap, and the longer flap being gummed at its end edge, as indicated at 4. The blank is scored or creased on the lines 5, 6 and 7 defining the ends of the respective flaps or the junctions of the respective flaps with the The blank is also scored or creased on the transverse line 8 which extends between the lower edges of the flaps 2 and 3, as they appear in Fig. 1, the panel defined by the several scores or creases 5, 6, 7 and 8 providing an address space for the primary envelope. The blank is reduced somewhat in width below the line 8, as indicated at 9, this construction facilitating the folding of the auxiliary or return envelope onto the body of the primary envelope and also providing a space for the insertion of an envelope opener, as will be understood on reference to Figs. 4 and 5. The blankis scored or creased on the line 10 which is parallel with the line 8 and spaced therefrom a distance approximately equal to the distance between the lines 5 and 8 so that the panel 11 between the lines 8 and 10 may be folded onto the panel 12 defined by the lines 5, 6, 7 and 8 and constitute the back of the primary envelope. Extending from the ends of the line 10 and alined with the edges of the panel 11, the blank is scored or creased on the lines 13 and 14, and extending laterally from these lines are flaps 15 and 16 which are of unequal length but are arranged reversely relative to the flaps 2 and 3, the shorter flap 16 being on the same side of the blank as the longer flap 2 and the longer flap 15 being on the same side of the blank as the shorter flap 3. The flap 16 is gummed, as shown at 17, at its outer end edge and a final flap 18extends from the lower end edge of the blank, the blank being scored at its lower end edge on the line 19. In folding the blank to produce the envelopes, the blank is first folded on the line 10 so that the panel 20 between the lines 10 and 19 will rest on the 3211161 11 and the flap 18 will extend over the panel 12,

as shown in Fig. 2. The blank is next folded on the lines 8 and 19, the line 19 at this time being superimposed on the line 8 so that the blank assumes the form shown in Fig. 3, the flap 18 being at this time folded back against the panel 20 and the panel 20 and said flap 18 being disposed between the panel 11 and the panel 12. The flaps 15 and 16 are next folded over onto the panel 11, as shown in Fig. 4, the gum on the flap 16 being moistened so that it will adhere to the fiap 15 and secure the same. The flaps 2 and 3 are then folded over above the flaps 15 and 16, as indicated in Fig. 5, the gum on the flap 2 being moistened so that it will adhere to the flap 3 and secure the parts in the folded position. The envelope will now be ready to receive whatever is to be transmitted and after the message or other matter is inserted the flap 1 is folded over onto the flaps 2 and 3 and sealed,

as will be understood upon reference to Fig. 5. The letter or other matter will he held between the flaps 20 and 12, and it will be noted upon reference to Figs. 4: and 5 that the fold 0r crease 7 which forms the hinge for the flap 2 will be spaced from the folded end of the flap 16 which constitutes the auxiliary or return envelope and, therefore, an envelope opener may be easily inserted under the flap 2 to effect opening of the envelope. If the envelope opener be slid along the line 8 which let! at this time is at the bottom of the device the auxiliary envelope will be detached from the I primary envelope at the same time that the latter is opened. The mouth or opening of 5 the auxiliary or return envelope will be, of course, at the bottom of the folded device and when the return envelope is to be used, it willbe necessary merely to insert the letter or other matter and then fold the flap 18 over onto the backs of the flaps 'and 16 and seal i the same. I a My device is very simple and may be pro- 7 duced at a low cost comparable with the cost 7 of separate envelopes now ordinarily em- 15 ployed besides making certain that a return envelope will'alwaysbe at hand to facilitate a responseto the message received in the primary envelope. Y When folded, the device is not noticeably bulkier than the ordinary 720 single envelope in general use and access to the'contentsof the primary envelope as well i as the removal o'f'the primary envelope from the auxiliary envelope to permit the use of the latter may be very easily and expeditious- 'ly accomplished. I

Having thus described the invention, I claim: a An envelope comprising a blank having three rectangular panels, one end panel being wider than the other end panel and the central panel whereby when the narrower panels are folded onto the wider panel an opening will be provided at one end to receive an opener, and side flaps and end flaps on the end panels, the side'fiaps on the same panel being of unequal width and the flaps on the two end panels being relatively reversed whereby the thickness of the flaps will be distributed over the area of the panels when the blank is folded and sealed. r

In testimony whereof I affix my signature. WILLIAM A, WELCI-I. [n 5.] p 

